How do I know if my child has a heart problem?
Signs and symptoms of heart defects Common symptoms include: blue colour around the lips and blue skin (cyanosis) difficulty feeding (especially becoming sweaty during feeds) shortness of breath.
Can a cat have sudden onset heart disease?
Some heart diseases are “per acute” or sudden onset. There may be no warning signs or pre-existing symptoms and if your cat has not had a thorough physical examination, sudden onset heart disease can be quite a shock.
What causes congestive heart failure in a cat?
Heart disease in cats is a medical precursor to congestive heart failure in cats, because heart disease can lead to congestive heart failure in cats if untreated. Heart disease in cats can be either congenital or acquired: Congenital heart disease in cats is present at birth, and can be inherited from the parents
What happens when a cat has cardiomyopathy?
A thrombus (blood clot) may develop within one of the heart chambers (usually left atrium) in a cat with cardiomyopathy. This occurs mainly because the blood is not flowing normally through the heart. The thrombus, or clot, is initially attached to the wall of the heart, but may become dislodged and be carried into the blood leaving the heart.
How old does a cat have to be to have HCM?
HCM (“enlarged heart muscle disease”) is an inherited disorder in which the muscular walls of the heart become abnormally thickened. HCM typically affects cats in the young adult years, between 1–5 years of age, although cases can emerge as early as 3 months or as late as 10 years.
Some heart diseases are “per acute” or sudden onset. There may be no warning signs or pre-existing symptoms and if your cat has not had a thorough physical examination, sudden onset heart disease can be quite a shock.
Heart disease in cats is a medical precursor to congestive heart failure in cats, because heart disease can lead to congestive heart failure in cats if untreated. Heart disease in cats can be either congenital or acquired: Congenital heart disease in cats is present at birth, and can be inherited from the parents
How can you tell if your cat has heart failure?
Often, especially with heart disease, it won’t be picked up until late. So definitely don’t feel guilty about not realizing that your cat was in heart failure. Cats will modify their behavior to hide their disease whereas a dog will run and run and then will collapse. A cat will just slowly reduce their activity levels.
When to seek help for a cat with heart disease?
Be aware of other signs as well and seek veterinary assistance. Weight loss is definitely a symptom of heart disease, though weight gain can be, as well. More likely than weight gain is a bloated or distended abdomen. If you find your cat has fainted or collapsed, seek veterinary help.